The present invention relates to an apparatus for pouring molten metal in a moving-mold type continuous casting machine.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional moving-mold type continuous casting machine comprising a plurality of block molds 1 interconnected in the form of a pair of endless mold assemblies 2 and 2'. Such mold assemblies 2 and 2' are disposed one upon another to define a continuous mold cavity between them. While the mold assemblies 2 and 2' are driven by drive wheels 3 and 3' in a direction indicated by arrows 4 and 4', molten metal is poured into the mold cavity at one side of the cavity through a tundish nozzle 6 extending from a tundish 5 and a castrand 7 is withdrawn from the other side of the mold cavity as indicated by arrow.
In order to prevent leakage of molten metal in the continuous casting machine of the type described above, a gap between the tundish nozzle 6 in the mold cavity and the block molds 1 defining the mold cavity must be kept at a predetermined small value with a high degree of dimensional accuracy.
To this end, conventionally used is a tundish-nozzle aligning system as shown in FIGS. 2-5 in which vertical position as well as nose-up and nose-down of the nozzle can be adjusted by operating handlewheels 25 operatively connected to jacks 24 mounted on a tundish-supporting stand 28. Horizontal position of the nozzle 6 can be adjusted by moving a jack stand 29 located below the tundish-supporting stand 28 by operating push bolts 26 and draw bolts 27 as shown in FIG. 4. As best shown in FIG. 5, rotational alignment (inclination in a plane perpendicular to a nozzle axis) of the nozzle can be adjusted by adjusting nuts 33 of specially designed bolts 32 pivotally joined with pivot pins 31 to a car frame 30.
However, use of the tundish-nozzle aligning system is not always effective for keeping the gap between the nozzle and the block molds at a predetermined small value. Because, high-temperature molten metal poured into the tundish 5 may cause deformations of the tundish 5, resulting in displacement in any directions of the tundish nozzle 6 extending therefrom and failure of maintaining the above-described predetermined gap. As a result, the tundish nozzle 6 strongly contacts the molds 1 and the nozzle 6 and the molds 1 are non-uniformly worn and damaged.
The present invention was made to overcome the above and other problems encountered in the conventional casting machines of the type described above and therefore has its object to eliminate adverse effects due to thermal deformations of a tundish on its nozzle so that a predetermined gap between the tundish nozzle and the block molds can be maintained at a satisfactory degree, thereby preventing damages to the tundish nozzle and the mold assemblies.
The above and other objects, effects and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of some preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.